IP5280 Communications: Hosted PBX from the mile-high city.

Part 83 of Phone for Rent: Understanding Hosted PBX Services  IP5280 has built its own cloud-based IP communications platform.

IP5280 Communications, Inc., headquartered in Denver, Colorado, was founded in 2006 by two Qwest sales executives, and since that time has steadily grown, becoming today a $5 million dollar firm with a nationwide network presence. The company derives its name from Denver's elevation: 5,280 feet above sea level.

The privately held firm specializes in VoIP plus converged voice and data services for business customers, claiming thousands of customers between their enterprise clients, agents, partners, and wholesalers.

The company has received accolades for its financial growth, with the 2009 numbers showing an annual growth of 40 percent over the previous year, during a time when many competitors were quite pleased to remain flat (instead of decline).

The company was also selected by ColoradoBiz magazine as one of the Top 3 Best Companies to Work For in Colorado, and is ranked by that magazine among the Colorado Top 250 Private Companies. In addition, publications including Inc. Magazine and Investors Business Daily have recognized IP5280s culture, growth and integrity.

The company also believes in giving back to their community, having just completed its fifth annual Climbing for Kids fundraiser, which challenges participants to climb a 14,000+ foot mountain, with the proceeds going to support the Denver Childrens Hospital, and the Kempe Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse.

These applications are powered by IP5280s own cloud-based platform, called CLOVER (Cloud Over Enterprise Resources), which is a multi-carrier inter-exchange network that is specifically designed to optimize the performance of interactive cloud-based applications, such as VoIP and other SIP based communications. The CLOVER computing network includes an array of best-of-breed feature servers, including BroadSoft, Microsoft OCS, open source and proprietary servers that provide cloud-based functionality critical in the delivery of IP communications for businesses.

The architecture is claimed as an industry first, designed to enable new suites of cloud-based business offerings that include: voice-to-text; a voicemail transcription service; voice-to-e-mail; a carbon copy voicemail sent to a users e-mail inbox; custom call routing, such as zip code routing for store locator applications; and managed call services that provide users real-time management of their inbound calls.

The IT Professional Services include LAN design, implementation, maintenance, and technical expertise provided to enterprises. These capabilities extend to IT services, including system administration, server support, data backup and disaster recovery; growth and planning consulting; plus structured cabling systems and infrastructure.

Application Services are quite broad, and include premium hosting services with Web and e-mail; Fax2Mail, which allows the user to send, receive, store, forward, and print time-sensitive documents from the desktop; Web and Collaboration Tools Through Visual Communication enabling document and application sharing; and Reservation-less Audio Conferencing, available on a 24/7 basis.

SIP Trunking enables an existing PBX, IP-PBX or Key System to realize the benefits of converged communication by connecting that legacy system to a broadband connection through a standard integrated access device (IAD) or gateway router. This option lets customers continue to use their PBX investment, while gaining additional benefits, such as voicemail and auto attendants, that the PBX may not provide, and reap significant savings on local, long distance, and international calls at the same time.

The Hosted PBX services are built on a carrier-class BroadSoft platform, that includes full redundancy in the event of a failure, plus high definition (HD) voice capabilities that are provided through the Polycom Soundpoint HD line of IP desk phones.

The hosted services are provided with three different feature sets, divided by end user application.

The Basic VoIP Feature Set, which is designed to be used with common area phones, includes calling line ID and blocking, call waiting, call return, and last number redial, configurable extension dialing, an incoming/outgoing calling plan, speed dialing, three-way calling, plus toll-free, local and long distance calling.

The Business VoIP Feature Set adds anonymous call rejection, auto call back, call forward always, busy and no answer, call transfer, do not disturb, voicemail, and voicemail to e-mail.

All of the Hosted PBX services feature a Web portal for network and end user management. Monthly pricing for the services is based upon bandwidth required and ranges from $324 (T-1 rate at 1.544 Mbps) to $899.00 (10 Mbps).

Further information on the IP5280 solutions can be found at www.ip5280.com. Our next tutorial will continue our review of various service providers hosted voice solutions.

Authors Biography
Mark A. Miller, P.E. is President of DigiNet Corporation®, a Denver-based consulting engineering firm. He is the author of many books on networking technologies, including Voice over IP Technologies, and Internet Technologies Handbook, both published by John Wiley & Sons.

This article was originally published on Oct 12, 2010

Mark A. Miller, P.E. is President of DigiNetB. Corporation, a Denver-based consulting engineering firm. He is the author of many books on networking technologies, including Voice over IP Technologies, and Internet Technologies Handbook, both published by John Wiley & Sons.